Hypnosis: A powerful tool for change

Hypnosis is a powerful therapeutic tool when used appropriately and effectively. Here are a number of questions often asked about clinical hypnosis and the answers:

1. What is hypnosis? Hypnosis, whether guided by someone or by self is a state of focused attention that activates mental, emotional , and physical responses from suggested instructions. The basic distinction between ‘hetero-hypnosis’ (facilitated by another) and self-hypnosis is the source of the suggestions. Research by Erika Fromm, PhD (She published Self-Hypnosis: The Chicago Paradigm, which she co-authored with Stephen Kahn, in 1990.) has recognized that the difference between self-hypnosis and clinical hypnosis was essentially the source of the suggestions (self or clinical professional), yet the quality or effectiveness of the experience was largely the same.

2. How long has hypnosis been around and what is it traditionally used for? Hypnosis has been around in one or another form likely as long as humans have existed. Ancient tribes had shamans or medicine healers who used hypnotic processes for a variety of purposes including healing. Most modern hypnosis evolved alongside medicine from the 1800’s and in the mid-1950’s both British and American medical associations recognized hypnosis as worthwhile to teach physicians. From the early 1900’s hypnosis has been used for psychotherapy , pain control, habit change, and other changes in behaviour, emotional responses, and physical controls (skin, allergies, endurance, etc.)

3. Walk me through it. How do you do it? The basic process for hypnosis is first to be guided (via therapist, audio, book, or other instruction) on what it is, and how to use the phenomenon. (It’s relevant to note that many people use self-hypnosis without instruction, but use it in a negative way, such as generating anxiety, fears, even depression and paranoia through self-suggestions created without awareness of the deep impact of such self-suggestions). In a more positive use, skilled therapists formulate positive suggestions; create a relaxed internal focus, and repeat the positive suggestions, using imagery that involves any or all senses; visual, tactile, auditory, olfactory, or gustatory). In that focused state of mind, the suggestions are usually acted upon more deeply than mere affirmations or ‘happy talk’ (I’m fine, I’m confident, I’m OK’).

While in a hypnotic state a person will generally feel relaxed, a bit disconnected from ordinary awareness and more focused on the suggested images, thoughts, sensations, and perceptions that are associated with the therapeutic objective.

4. How/Why does it work? This is the most difficult or least understood aspect of hypnosis. The best answer I have found is that when we create that internally focused, relaxed state of mind, our usual judgmental part of our mind is slightly set aside so that the suggestions are acted upon more deeply than usual conscious thoughts. It’s as if an internal ‘Judge Judy’ has been set aside so that information that may not match previous experience can be absorbed and acted upon. So, for example, Josh’s experience is that he has a part of his mind that is easily scared and fearful. His self-talk or affirmations: ‘I’m not scared of dogs’, and ‘dogs are usually friendly,’ are ineffective because the ‘Judge Judy’ inside his mind believes, “You have been scared of dogs, you’ve had bad experiences with dogs, and you’ll keep being afraid of dogs.’

5. What are the benefits? Have they been proven? There are many benefits from hypnosis and self-hypnosis including, general relaxation and stress reduction. That’s a huge benefit because stress is a precipitating factor or an amplifying factor in most if not virtually all diseases and disorders. In psychotherapy hypnosis can help a person gain insight into their current problem and create the changes to enjoy life more fully; it can modify behaviours to become healthier and lower disease processes such as stopping smoking, drug and alcohol problems, eat more healthfully, take medications regularly; and emotionally to better handle anger, fears, jealousy, love pain, and other emotional problems. And even in physical area hypnosis can be useful to reinforce the dissolving of warts, the calming of skin irritations, abdominal distresses, and to enhance certain physical performance. There is a large body of scientific published studies that validate the effects of hypnosis and self-hypnosis. In some situations such as psychotherapy where the roots of current problems are not easily visible, a trained hypnotherapist can help guide the hypnotic experience to tease out relevant perceptions, emotions, and experiences that might be outside a person’s conscious awareness. And in other situations, some people respond better to an ‘external’ voice rather than their own. So there is a place for both facilitated hypnosis and self-hypnosis.

6. What are some of the biggest challenges in using clinical hypnosis? One challenge, for some people, is to be able to understand what the underlying problem is. Another is how to formulate effective post-hypnotic suggestions. Some people want to use hypnosis but have fears of losing control, while in fact, they are gaining control over their experience in a different way. A powerful extension of the hypnotic process into daily life are post-hypnotic suggestions (suggested behaviours, thoughts, emotions to have based on a cue or triggering factor in daily life) which can be challenging to develop. These and other challenges are usually overcome through good instruction, verbal, text, through an expert, or other instructional processes such as video. The book I co-authored is a good example of information on how to formulate effective self-suggestions and even how to use self-hypnosis for self-exploration. It is Self-Hypnosis the Complete Manual for Health and Self-Change at Amazon.

7. Who should try hypnosis? Sometimes hypnosis has been called the ‘treatment of last resort’ by the medical field, yet it can be a first line therapy or change process alongside any other first-line approach because it doesn’t interfere, it augments other methods to improve a situation.

8. Are their people who shouldn't? While clinical hypnosis is generally a safe procedure, cautions include; persons diagnosed with a thought disorder such as schizophrenia, people with active and severe conditions such as Bi-Polar 1, and dissociative disorders. In situations of severe mental illness hypnosis, it is best and most effective to be done under close direction/supervision by a mental health professional trained in using clinical hypnosis. This category of who should be very cautious is rather small, and the vast majority of people can use hypnosis and self-hypnosis safely.

Final words: Hypnosis or self-hypnosis is a safe and effective way to be part of your own change process for which you deserve to feel the empowerment of self-control over an area you have chosen to address. From deep relaxation, changing unproductive behaviours, to enhancing other forms of therapy or healing, hypnosis is a valuable human tool that people can be taught for use from a young age to anywhere in our lives.